Automatic agitator for apparatus subjecting liquid to electrical potential between electrodes



H. GORDON May 17, 1949.' I

, AUTOIIA'IIQ AGIIAIOR FOR APPARATUS SUBJECTING mourn TO ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL BETWEEN ELECTRODES 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed lla'y 26, 1945 FIG. 1

FIG. 2

2,470,741 IQUID H. L. GORDON May 17,- 1949.

APPARATUS SUBJECTING L AUTOMATIC AGITATOR FOR TO ELECTRICAL POTEN Filed lay 25, .1945

TIAL BETWEEN ELECTRODES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AMP.

IIIII/IIIII/V 'IIIIII III!!! Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATS? gram oreica Herman L. Gordon, Silver Spring, Md.,, assignor to Premier Crystal- Laboratories,. Incorporated,

New York, N; Y;

Application May 26; 1945-, Serial No. 595,933

6 Claims. (01. 204.2'Z3) This. invention relates to agitators, and more: particularly, tov agitators for solutions or emulsions undergoing. electrical treatment.

There are many industrial processes wherein solutions. or emulsionsv are electrically treated. Examples of such processes are electroplating, electrolysis. and oil purification. Ina large number of such processes it has been found advantageous, to. agitate the solution or emulsion inorder to maintain a, desired electrical condition. Thus, in electroplating or in electrolysis,v a filmof gas, bubbles tends. to collect on one or more of the. electrodes. which acts as an insulator andincreases the resistance of the solution or emulsi'on, tending to cut down the current flow. In other processes, such as. in oil purification, it is desirable to maintain a high resistance across: the electrodes, and to avoid leakage currents across them. In either case, the undesirable electrical condition can be removed by agitating the'solution or emulsion.

A main object of this invention is to provide an automatic means for agitating an electrically treated. solution or emulsion responsive to the development of an undesirable resistivity or conductivity condition therein.

Petroleum oil often occurs in nature in the" form of an emulsion containing small particles of Water which mustv be removed beforev the petroleum oil is commercially useful. Various elec-- trical dehydration processes are employed for removing the water particles, said processes consisting generally of subjecting. the emulsion of petroleum oil and Water to a high voltage electric field which coalescesv the. small particles of Water into masses which will. precipitate out. from the. petroleum oil. The usual process of this char-- actor is carried on in an apparatus having a tank in which a grounded electrode in electrical. con-. tact with the tank and a live electrode insulated from the tank are placed. A high voltage electric field is established between these electrodes and the. water particles are coalesced by' the high voltage field into masses of water which separate from the oil by gravity. The masses of water under unfavorable conditions may join to form short-circuiting chains between the electrodes, resulting in a flow of current which greatly reduces the, efficiency of the dehydrating equipment, increases the cost of operation of the process... and sometimesv prevents the successful operation. thereof.

It. is an object of this. invention to provide a novel and improved means for automatically breaking the short-circuiting chain of water massesresponsive to the-flow of the short-circuiting current.

It is a further object of this invention to provid an improved method of breaking down a shortcircuiting chain in any electric field fluid-treat ing device, said method being entirely automatic. and requiring a minimum of power.

A still further object of the invention is. to provide an improved means for breaking down short-circuiting particle chains. in an electric field fluid-treating device by employing supersonic vibrations in the fluid, said vibrations being pro.- duced by a generator controlled in accordance with the electrical condition of the fluid.

A still further object of the invention is. to provide a novel and improved control means for a.

supersonic vibration generator.

Further objects and advantages of th inven-. tion will appear from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is aschematic view of an oil dehydrator rovided with means for breaking down shortcircuiting water chains in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a control device adapted to be employed in the oil dehydrator of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic View of an electrolytic system employing the agitator means of this. invention to break down polarization films on: the electrodes.

Referringv to Figure l, the oil dehydrator has a tank I; which providesa dehydrating chamber 2.. Supported near the lowerpart of dehydrating chamber 2 isa. grounded electrode. 3 electrically:- connected to tank l by suitable straps 4. Sup.- ported inthe dehydrating chamber 2' above the grounded electrode 3 is alive electrode 5;. Thelive electrode forms a part of an electrode structure. which also includes a supporting means com, prising a bar 6- at the upper end of the live elec trade-secured to an insulator 1 which is attached to the lower end of a flexible hanger 8 supported from an attachment plate 9- secured to the top H! of tank I. Extendingv through the top H), of tank t is an insulator bushing H to which connected a conductor l;2- which extends into chamber 2 and is connected to live electrode 5. Emulsion consisting of oil carrying particles of Water is. introduced into the lower end of de hydrating; chamber 2 bymeans of an inlet pipe t3. Oil from which the water has been separated isv withdrawn from the dehydrating chamber 2 by means of an oil outlet pipe M; which is, connected 3 to the top ID of tank I. Water which has been separated from the oil is removed from the lower end of dehydrating chamber 2 through an outlet pipe l which is connected to the lower part of tank I.

Mounted on the side wall of tank I at the portion thereof which is intermediate the respective levels of electrodes 3 and 5 is a supersonic vibrator comprising a quartz plate I6 secured at one face thereof to the adjacent surface of the tank wall, said wall being reduced in thickness at this area to facilitate transmission of vibrations to the oil. Clamped to the other face of the quartz plate by a spring clamp device I! is an electrode l8. Electrode it may be soldered or otherwise secured to said other face of the quartz plate to provide support thereof. The clamping device is threadedly secured to a conductor bar it so that the spring pressure may be adjusted. Conductor bar I9 is supported on the side wall of the tank by an insulator block 28.

The quartz plate assembly is connected in a conventional oscillator circuit of the Hartley type such as is described in Ultrasonics, by Bergmann and Hatfield, John Wiley 8; Sons, 1938, page 27. The quartz plate holder assembly is also conventional and appears on page 33 of the above reference text.

The oscillator circuit includes an inductance 2! and a variable condenser 22, and the oscillating circuit may be tuned to the natural frequency of the quartz plate by varying the capacity of condenser 22. When the condenser is tuned to resonance powerful vibrations are generated in the oil between the electrodes 3 and 5, said vibrations being efi'ective to break up any short-circuiting water chains which may form across said electrodes.

The electric field is applied to electrodes 3 and 5 from the secondary 23 of a transformer, one terminal of secondary 23 being connected to bushing H by a conductor 24 and the other terminal being connected to tank l through a resistance winding 25. An adjustable tap 26 is provided on resistance winding 25, said tap being connected to the grid of a triode 21, said tap and the grounded end of resistance winding 25 forming the input circuit for triode 21. The plate circuit of triode 21 is connected through an appropriate smoothing amplifier to a solenoid 28. The rotor shaft of condenser 22 is mechanically coupled to the armature of solenoid 23.

One form of mechanical coupling for connecting the armature of solenoid 28 to the condenser shaft is shown in Figure 2. Condenser 22 is mounted on an appropriate insulating block 29, solenoid 28 being likewise supported on the block by a bracket 39. An arm 3! is clamped at one end to the condenser shaft and carries the solencid plunger 32 adjacent the other end arranged for vertical movement responsive to energization of solenoid 28. A spring 34 is connected between arm 3i and block 29 and biases the condenser shaft to a position wherein the condenser is slightly detuned from resonance. Energization of solenoid 28 raises plunger 32 and rotates arm 3|, causing the condenser to be tuned toward resonance. A vertical bolt member 33 is provided on block 29, said bolt member freely passing through the end portion of arm 31 and being provided with spaced adjustable stop nuts above and below arm 3! for limiting rotation of arm 3| between the adjusted positions of said stop nuts.

The lower stop nut on bolt member 33 is adjusted so that spring 34 holds arm 3| in a normal position wherein the condenser 22 is detuned sufiiciently off resonance so that the amplitude of vibrating quartz plate [6 is insufiicient to cause disturbing vibrations in tank I during the electrical treatment of the oil. When the water masses between the electrodes 3 and 5 form a conductive chain, a current flows in the secondary circuit of the transformer, said current producing a signal voltage across the input circuit of triode 21 which is amplified and impressed on solenoid 28, thereby energizing the solenoid. This raises plunger 32 and rotates arm 3| toward the upper stop nut position on bolt member 33, causing condenser 22 to be tuned toward resonance. The amplitude of vibration of quartz plate l6 rapidly rises, causing powerful vibrations in the oil between electrodes 3 and 5 and the shortcircuiting water chains are thereby broken up. This opens the secondary circuit of the transformer and removes the signal voltage from the grid of triode 21. Solenoid 28 then becomes deenergized and the system returns to its normal condition. The cycle of operations will be automatically repeated whenever short-circuiting water chains develop between electrodes 3 and 5.

Instead of employing a tuning and detuning arrangement, solenoid 28 may merely actuate a switch in the plate circuit of the oscillator, said switch being normally open and being closed responsive to energization of solenoid 28, the tank circuit of the oscillator being permanently tuned to resonance. This alternative embodiment may be employed where starting lag of the quartz plate is not an important factor and where it is not economically necessary to control the amplitude of vibration of the agitator.

An arrangement somewhat similar to that employed in the oil purification device of Figure 1 may be employed to automatically depolarize the electrodes of an electrolytic system. Referring to Figure 3, 4| designates a tank containing electrolyte 42 and a pair of electrodes 43 and M, 43 being the anode and 44 being the cathode. In

' such a system bubbles tend to form on one of the electrodes, usually the cathode, producing an insulating film which causes a substantial increase in the resistance of the cell, cutting down the cell current and reducing the energy input into the system.

In accordance with this invention a resistance winding 45 is employed connected between the cathode l4 and the negative terminal of the main current source, said resistance being provided with an adjustable tap 46. The negative end of winding 45 is connected to the grid of a triode l! and tap 46 is connected to the cathode of said triode. The output circuit of the triode is connected through an appropriate amplifier to a solenoid 48 whose armature is mechanically coupled to the shaft of a condenser 49. Condenser 69 is the tuning condenser for the tank circuit of an oscillator, which when tuned to resonance, drives a quartz plate 50 at maximum amplitude. Quartz plate 50 is arranged so as to develop a powerful supersonic vibration in electrolyte 42 when the oscillator is thus tuned, which breaks up the polarizing film.

Tap 46 is set so that a negative bias normally appears on the grid of triode 41 sufficient to render the triode substantially non-conducting. When the resistance of the electrolytic cell rises due to polarization, the circuit current is reduced, thus lowering the bias on said grid. Plate current then flows in the triode, said current being amplified by the amplifier to a value such as to energize solenoid 48. Condenser 49 is normally slightly detuned, as in the embodiment of Figure 1. Upon energization of solenoid 48 the condenser is tuned toward resonance, resulting in the setting up of the supersonic vibrations in the electrolyte. When the polarizing film has been removed normal current is reestablished in the cell and triode 41 again becomes non-conducting, resulting in the deenergization of solenoid 48 and the detuning of condenser 49.

Referring back to Figure 2, it is to be noted that the control means is arranged so as to be responsive to the degree of departure of the electrical condition of the fluid between the electrodes from normal. Thus in Figure 1, if the short-circuiting chains have relatively high resistance, solenoid 28 will be energized relatively weakly and will raise plunger 32 only a short distance against the restraint of spring 34. The condenser 22 will thereby be tuned toward resonance only sufficiently to set up that amplitude of vibration required to break down the short-circuiting chains. Similarly, in the embodiment of Figure 3, which also employs the condenser regulating structure of Figure 2, the amplitude of vibration of the supersonic agitator will be in accordance with the degree of polarization but is arranged to be sufficiently great to break up the polarizing film. By proper settin of the adjustable stop nuts on bolt 33 and by judicious selection of circuit constants, such as could be done by one skilled in the art, the amplitude of the agitating vibration could be held to an economic minimum so that the disturbance of the fluids and interruptions of the electrical treatments would be thereby minimized.

While certain specific applications of agitators have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that numerous other applications and modifications of the structure disclosed may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic agitator for an apparatus wherein liquid is subjected to an electrical potential between electrodes, comprising a container for the liquid, said container having a vibratory wall portion, electrical means for driving said vibratory wall portion, and a control circuit connected to said electrical means and connected in series with the electrodes, said control circuit in-- cluding means for energizing said electrical means in accordance with the resistance across the electrodes.

2. An automatic agitator for an apparatus wherein oil is subjected to an electrical potential between electrodes, comprisin a container for the oil, said container having a vibratory wall portion, electrical means for driving said vibratory wall portion, and a control circuit connected to said electrical means and connected in series with the electrodes, said control circuit including means for energizing said electrical means in accordance with the resistance across the electrodes.

' wherein liquid is subjected to an electrical potential between electrodes, comprisin a container for the liquid, said container having a vibratory wall portion, piezo-electric means for driving said vibratory wall portion, and a control circuit connected to said piezo-electric means and connected in series with the electrodes, said control circuit including means for energizing said piezo-electric means in accordance with the resistance across the electrodes.

5. An automatic agitator for an apparatus wherein liquid is subjected to an electrical potential between electrodes, comprising a container for the liquid, said container having a vibratory wall portion, electrical means for driving said vibratory wall portion, and a control circuit connected to said electrical means and connected in series with the electrodes, said control circuit including vacuum tube means for energizing said electrical means in accordance with the resistance across the electrodes.

6. An automatic agitator for an apparatus wherein liquid is subjected to an electrical potential between electrodes, comprisin a container for the liquid, said container having a vibratory wall portion, piezo-electric means for driving said vibratory wall portion, and a control circuit connected to said piezo-electric means and connected in series with the electrodes, said control circuit including vacuum tube means for energizing said piezo-electric means in accordance with the resistance across the electrodes.

HERMAN L. GORDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,428,049 Nickum Sept. 5, 1922 1,942,046 Bottome Jan. 2, 1934 1,942,480 Lawrason Jan. 9, 1934 1,965,399 Wehe July 3, 1934 2,046,467 Krause July 7, 1936 2,257,997 Barnes Oct. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 557,386 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Alien Property Custodian Publication No. 335, 549. dated May 18, 1943. 

